Necktie clasp



w. c. BOOTS 2,723,429

Nov. 15, 1955 NECKTIE CLASP Filed Feb. 16, 1954 1 INVENTOR. jg/4M 4 ov-2&5,

United States Patent NECKTIE CLASP William C. Boots, Rumford, R. I., assignor to Foster Metal Products Incorporated, Attleboro, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 16, 1954, Serial N 0. 410,475

1 Claim. (CI. 24-49) This invention comprises a new and improved necktie clasp constructed and arranged to grip securely the interposed garments regardless of thickness or contour and to maintain permanently its proper position without displacement of any kind.

These clasps as heretofore constructed have included a gripping element engaging the shirt of the wearer in a limited area depending in its extent on the thickness and contour of those portions of the shirt and necktie interposed. In many cases this has not been of sufficient extent to prevent disengagement and loss of the clasp or angular displacement which impairs its otherwise attractive appearance.

The object of the present invention is to provide a clasp having a gripping member of such shape and so mounted and operating in the clasp that a firm and extensive area of gripping engagement is insured under all conditions. This is achieved as herein shown by a gripper plate mounted in a balanced manner and spring pressed so that it will conform accurately to the contour of the garments beneath it.

The invention includes within its scope various details of construction by which the desired results are achieved at moderate cost and in conformity to the most efiicient manufacturing processes.

As herein shown the clasp includes a flat elongated more or less ornamental bar which is exposed to view in wear, and this merges at one end into a U-shaped bend and an outwardly inclined fulcrum arm. A lever is pivotally mounted on the end of the fulcrum arm and an elongated gripper bar is pivotally mounted at its mid point on the lever in a balanced manner. The lever itself is spring urged toward the ornamental bar thus applying a balanced pressure to the gripper bar and causing it to engage the interposed garments over a substantial area with uniform pressure.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the clasp shown in position on the garments of the wearer and on an enlarged scale,

Figs. 2 and 3 are views in side elevation showing the gripping bar of the clasp in different positions as seen from the direction indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the clasp,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a corresponding sectional view showing the same parts in process of being assembled,

'Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of the fulcrum arm, and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3.

The clasp as herein illustrated comprises a flat bar 10 which may be ornamented in any desired manner and which is the only part of the clasp visible when in use. It extends transversely inwardly from one edge of the necktie and is clamped securely in horizontal position without danger of twisting.

ice

The bar 10 merges at its left end as shown in the various figures of the drawing into a U-shaped bend 11 and a fulcrum arm 12 which is shown as extending upwardly from the bend 11 at an angle of about 15 to the bar 10. At its upper end the fulcrum arm 12 is provided with a notch 13 forming forks which carry outwardly extending trunnions 14. A shallow groove 15 is formed in the upper face of the arm. This opens into the notch 13 and is shaped to receive one end of a torsion spring to be presently described.

The fulcrum arm 12 carries a pivotally mounted lever 16 having downturned ears 17 at an intermediate point in its length which are perforated to receive the trunnions 14 of the fulcrum arm. In assembling the lever 16 its ears 17 are closed to receive the trunnions 14. At its lower end the lever 16 is provided with ears 18 forming a clasp in which is engaged an elongated gripper bar 19. The gripper bar as herein shown is approximately two-thirds the length of the ornamented bar 10 and is provided with edge flanges 20 each having pointed teeth defined by concave recesses, the teeth extending in a row along the flange. The ears 18 enter opposed concave recesses and form a pivotal connection with the gripper bar 19 midway between its ends so that in practice the gripper bar is free to assume the angular position corresponding to the contour of the garments gripped between it and the bar 10.

The lever 16 is rocked powerfully in a clockwise direction as seen in Figs. 2 and 3 by a coiled torsion spring 21 which is housed in the notch 13 of the fulcrum arm with one end seated in the groove 15 and the other extending beneath the outer portion of the lever 16. The lever is made concave in cross-section to increase its stiffness so that it may embrace the outer end of the spring 21.

The gripper bar 19 is normally pressed firmly against the inner face of the bar 10 as shown in Fig. 2, the pres sure of the spring being applied to the center or balancing point of the gripper bar 19 so that the latter makes firm and uniform contact throughout its entire length with the bar 10. In placing the clasp in operative position the lever 16 is rocked against the tension of the spring 21 into some such position as that shown in Fig. 2 so that the gripping bar 19 is released from the bar 10 and moved into its dotted line position. The clasp may then be engaged with the necktie 22 and shirt 23 of the wearer, and when positioned horizontally with the bend 11 at one edge of the necktie, the lever 16 is released whereupon the spring 21 rocks the lever 16 and firmly seats the gripper bar 19 against the inner surface of the shirt at whatever distance from the bar 10 and at whatever angle may be determined by the thickness and contour of the engaged garments. It will be apparent that the extensive area of engagement of the gripper bar 19 together with its balanced pressure will securely anchor the clasp against withdrawing or angular displacement.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described in detail a preferred embodiment thereof, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A necktie clasp including in its structure an ornamental bar merging at one end into a U-shaped bend and an inturned fulcrum arm, a spring-actuated lever mounted on said arm and having at its free end ears forming a clasp, and an elongated gripper bar having downturned edge flanges with pointed teeth defined by concave recesses and extending in a row along the flange, the ears of said lever entering opposed recesses of the flanges and thus providing pivoted connection with the gripper bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

